Teaneck Board elects new president after split ballot; vice president chosen after additional votes

The Teaneck Board of Education elected a new board president and selected a vice president during its Jan. 7 reorganization meeting at Teaneck High School.

Ed (nominated as "Ed Hoff" in the meeting) won the board presidency on a roll-call ballot that produced a 5–4 majority in his favor after nominations were made from the floor. Multiple members then nominated candidates for vice president; after successive roll-call votes the board selected a vice president by majority vote.

Why it matters: Board leadership sets the year’s agenda, controls meeting procedure and often represents the district in negotiations and public-facing matters. The split vote for president and additional ballots for the vice-presidency underscore differing priorities among board members at the outset of the new term.

The process began when board secretary Dr. Victor Anaya opened nominations. "I nominate Ed Hoff for president," a board member said during the nominations (nominated from the floor). Another trustee nominated Clara Williams for president as well. The board conducted roll-call votes for each nominee; the transcript records a subsequent statement by the secretary that "There was 5 for Mr. And 4 for nos," indicating a 5–4 outcome in favor of the nominated Ed.

Nominations for vice president included Jerry Kirschenbaum and Tassandra/Cassandra Reyes. After roll-call votes and some procedural confusion during the balloting sequence, the board recorded a majority selection for the vice president slot.

Several board members spoke during the votes. Jerry Kirschenbaum was nominated for vice president with praise from a fellow trustee who cited his long career in education; a different trustee nominated Cassandra/Tassandra Reyes and the board proceeded to roll-call votes on those nominations.

The new president immediately presided over the remainder of the reorganization meeting. Board members and the superintendent then proceeded to adopt routine organizational items and open public comment.

The votes were taken on the record by roll call. The transcript records the president’s selection as decided by a 5–4 majority on the president ballot and a majority outcome on the vice-presidential ballot after multiple roll calls. The meeting then advanced to the superintendent’s remarks and the regular agenda.

(Additional actions and detailed vote records from the meeting are summarized in the meeting roundup article.)

Ending: The board’s new leadership will guide committee assignments and meeting flow for 2025; several trustees said they intend to focus on meeting efficiency, community engagement and larger capital planning during the president’s term.